When to plant Linaria in Subtropical Australia

Subtropical zone — applies to Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Coffs Harbour, Lismore and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Cool · Tropical · Arid.

Sow linaria direct from February to June, scattering the tiny seed onto the surface and barely covering it at 3 mm. It germinates in 14–28 days in the cooling autumn soil and races to flower in around 70 days, giving quick drifts of snapdragon-like blooms. Thin plants to 10–20 cm apart in rows 15–20 cm wide, or simply broadcast and let them fill a patch. In Brisbane and Gold Coast gardens this late-summer-to-early-winter window suits linaria well, as it flowers through the mild cool season before the heat and humidity of the next summer arrive.

Sowing calendar — subtropical zone

Green months are your sowing window: February to June.

Growing notes

Linaria, sometimes sold as toadflax or baby snapdragon, is a fast cool-season annual that gives a lot of colour for very little effort. Sow it direct where it is to grow, in full sun and free-draining soil, and thin lightly so plants have room without leaving big gaps. Because it is quick and self-seeds freely, a single autumn sowing in a Coffs Harbour bed often keeps returning on its own for several seasons.

The fine seed is where beginners come unstuck. Sow it too deep and it never appears, since like many small seeds it needs light and only the barest covering to germinate. Press it onto a firmed, moist surface, cover with a whisper of fine soil or none at all, and keep it damp with a gentle mist until seedlings show. Overcrowding is the other issue: too many seedlings jammed together stay spindly and flop, so thin to give each plant a little air.

In the humid tail of the wet season, damping off can take out young seedlings and powdery mildew can mark older foliage. Water in the morning at the base, keep airflow up with sensible spacing, and avoid soggy, overworked soil. Deadhead or shear the plants lightly after the first flush and they often rebloom, extending the display well into the cool Brisbane winter.

Linaria at a glance

Common questions

When should I sow linaria in the subtropics?

Sow direct from February to June, as the soil cools through autumn into early winter. Linaria flowers through the mild cool season and finishes before the next summer's heat and humidity. It germinates and grows fast in this window.

Why didn't my linaria seeds come up?

The seed is tiny and needs light to germinate, so sowing it too deep is the usual cause of failure. Press it onto a firmed, moist surface with only a whisper of covering, and keep it damp with a gentle mist. Seedlings appear in 14 to 28 days.

Does linaria self-seed?

Yes, freely. A single autumn sowing often returns on its own for several seasons, popping up wherever conditions suit. If you want to keep it in bounds, shear off spent flowers before they set too much seed.

How do I keep linaria flowering longer?

Deadhead or lightly shear the plants after the first flush and they usually rebloom, extending the show into winter. Keep them evenly moist and give each plant a little air by thinning. Water at the base in the morning to avoid mildew on crowded plants.

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